Astros manager Joe Espada ejected during Sunday’s series finale vs. Rangers

Emotions tend to run high during rivalry games. Joe Espada provided an example of that Sunday.

The Astros manager was only in the dugout for a short stint during his team’s series finale against the Texas Rangers. That’s because Espada was ejected in the top of the third inning after arguing balls and strikes during an at-bat for third baseman Isaac Paredes.

Espada seemed particularly angry when home plate umpire Nick Mahrley called a strike on a curveball from Jack Leiter. A replay of the events showed the pitch land well below the strike zone.

Astros manager Joe Espada was LIVID after this called strike on Isaac Paredes and got tossed pic.twitter.com/CCNjRBbHHU

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 18, 2025

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Per Baseball Reference, this was the sixth ejection of Espada’s managerial career. He was ejected from games five times during the 2024 season.

Both the Rangers and Astros struggled to get anything going offensively in the game’s early portion. Rangers outfielder Sam Haggerty recorded the game’s first hit in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Astros manager Joe Espada ejected during Sunday’s series finale vs. Rangers

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